A/N: I'm sorry it's been two months since I updated. I was busy at work, but strange enough now that I'm back at school I feel like I have more time to update. Yes I'm taking fifteen credits, actually doing my homework this year, running a magazine and busy with my sorority but someone I feel more control when I'm at school verse my parent's home. So expect more frequent updates.
A/N2: I'd like to thank ncisduckie and Cherryll for reviewing.
The next few weeks went without much incident. Spike spent all his spare time taking care of Drusilla, correcting papers and working out. He trained a lot but not with Buffy and her friends, who called themselves the Scooby Gang, but instead solo. Though he was making his body stronger and could probably hold his own against a vampire he still didn't go out on patrol. His body could become the pinnacle of human perfection but he still wouldn't be mentally ready for a fight.
The first major paper due for his class was an analysis of the Scarlet Letter. He collected them at the end of class, each student handing it to him personally. Buffy was behind Willow and Xander, who both had their papers. As her friends left she gave him an apologetic smile and started to leave.
"Buffy, a minute," he said and her friends left without her.
Buffy sat on top of a desk in the front row and crossed her arms. "A lot of vamps have been creeping up lately. Slaying takes up a major chuck of my time. And it's not like you're helping to keep the vamps at bay."
Spike sighed. "Ya don't know me. Ya don't know what's going on in my life."
"No, I get it, I do. You've got other obligations. You don't have to slay. I do. I'm the slayer. I don't get a choice. I'm all choseney and stuff."
"I don't care about the report or the damn book. Ter tell ya the truth the book blows."
"Well then why am I here?"
"Synder's been askin' about you."
Buffy rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I've a meeting with him at the end of the day."
"Tell me how I can cover for you."
"Well you could mark my missing report as an A," Buffy said with the biggest smile she could muster.
"Don't be so unrealistic. I'll give you a C, which is a Hell of a lot better than the F any other teacher would be giving you and not nearly as suspicious as an A."
"These terms are acceptable."
"Just don't not do your homework because I'm going easy on you. If you got time for homework just do it, even if it means giving up watching TV with yer mates. I always loved books, especially back when I still acted like a little Nancy-boy. But even now, as the badass I am, I luv books. They give me a release from all the rage built up on the inside. They let me see how beautiful the world is."
Buffy smiled as he head cocked to one side. "You really need to tell me about your story one day Spike. The mysterious thing gets old fast. Besides, I already get enough cryption from my boyfriend."
Spike couldn't figure out why his heart began to ache when Buffy said boyfriend. He swallowed the lump in his throat and asked her about him.
"Well for one he's a vampire."
Spike's head jerked, trying to process the information. "Vampire? But yer the bloody slayer."
"He's got a soul; cursed by gypsies. Now he's just moody."
"Buffy you can't date a vampire."
"Sure I can. It's been almost a year."
Spike smacked his face into his palm. She was probably going to get herself killed by this vampire. Vampires couldn't have souls, it just wasn't possible. Though as a vampire Spike was capable of love he still couldn't be trusted to not kill. One day Buffy's boyfriend was going to get hungry, or worst, the vampire was going to decide he wanted Buffy for an eternity and turn her. But there was no use of arguing; Buffy was an idiot teenager and once teens, especially the blonde one in front of him, set their minds to something there is no talking them out of it."
"Can I at least persuade you to be careful?"
"Oh we haven't sex yet."
"I don't mean bloody condoms. I meant with the vamp. Make sure he doesn't turn on you and try to eat you."
Buffy smiled. She got up and walked to the door. "Bye Spike," she said and left the room.
At Parent-Teacher Night Spike walked around anxious about meeting his student's parents. His students were at a level of such stupidity that he could only fear how bad the people that raised them were.
Buffy and another one of Spike's students from a different period, Shelia, had to plan the night as punishment from Synder. Buffy ended up doing the entire thing.
Spike saw Buffy and Willow near a table with refreshments. A woman who looked like Buffy twenty years in the future came by the table but Willow quickly escorted her away. He watched as Synder came over to yell at Buffy and Buffy obviously created a fake accident by spilling punch on him. A smirk formed on Spike's lips. That's my gal.
Throughout the night Spike meet with various parents. Willow's mother seem content with Willow's A average while Harmony Kendall's mother was proud that Harmony was pulling straight Ds. Cordelia's mother didn't really seem to care that Cordelia had a B plus average and Xander's father seemed unfazed by the fact that his son was barely keeping a C minus average.
Between the fake C's Spike was giving Buffy for free and the actually A's and B's she was earning in class and when she had time to do homework she had a B average. But Buffy's mother never came by his classroom.
At the end of the night Spike went into the main lobby and waved a Buffy. She was shortly joined by Cordelia, Willow and the older woman from before. Synder came over and pulled the woman away.
Spike walked over to the group of girls. "So, Synder finally got ahold of yer mum?"
"I don't get it. I put so much effort into this night, did such a good job," Buffy said.
"Synder's a troll," Spike said. He had finally gotten over his guilt of wanting Synder dead. He now just wished he was still a vampire so he could kill the guy without having to worry about consequences.
"Well maybe if you're lucky the Anointed One will kill you before your mom has a chance to kill you," Cordelia said.
"The Anointed One?" Spike asked.
"He's like vampire Jesus," Buffy said. "That's why so many more vampires have been flocking here lately."
"And Buffy is number one on his hit list," Cordelia added.
"You Scoobies really know how to piss off the right people, eh?" Spike said.
After a few minutes of talking Buffy's mother came back. "In the car, now!" she said.
"Mrs. Summers," Spike said with the biggest fake smile he could muster up, "I don't believe we've met. I'm Buffy's English teacher, Mr. Pratt." Spike put his hand on the woman back to guide her away from the group of girls. "Look, I don't know what Synder told you, but I can only imagine it's bad."
"Bad doesn't even begin to cover what kind of trouble she's in," Mrs. Summers said, somehow raising her voice while whispering at the same time.
"But Synder's not the best judge of character. He saw her permanent record and just assumed she's a bad seed. But she ain't. She's my student and I've actually seen her in the classroom. So she's not perfect. She's no way near the model student. But she's also a teenager. You shouldn't expect her to be perfect. You know it's a lot harder these days for kids than when we were young."
"I know," Mrs. Summers said, "but it's like she's not even trying."
"She's trying. Trust me she's trying harder than any other kid in that class, even Willow. Not everyone's going to succeed in every area of their life. So Buffy's got other talent, non-school talents. But if everyone had the same talent then this world be bloody dull, wouldn't it?"
"You sound like ones of those parenting magazines I read."
"Really? I think I heard that on one of those after-school specials." Both of the adults laughed for a moment. "But seriously, Mrs. Summers, Buffy is a good gal. Go easy on her. Besides, she's not that bad at school. Got a B average in my class, and I'm a hard grader."
Hearing Buffy's grade seemed to relieve Mrs. Summers relaxed a bit. Spike and Mrs. Summers walked back over to the girls. She said to Buffy, "You owe Mr. Pratt your freedom. I was going to ground you but he convinced me to go easy on you." She sighed, "But I still want you to try harder to not get in trouble. Even if you principal really is just out to get you could you at least try to stay out of his way?"
"Okay mom, promise to attempt an invisibility spell," Buffy said.
Mrs. Summers told Buffy she'd let her say goodbye for to her friends and meet her outside.
"Wow, I was beginning to think you were some kind of a freaky serial killer," Cordelia said, "But that was totally life-saving you did just there. You're totally cool, Mr. Pratt."
"Serial killer?" Spike asked.
"Ignore her," Buffy said. "Thank you so much. You saved my butt."
"That way she's freed to get killed by the Anointed One," Cordelia
Buffy looked down at her feet, as if she was scared. Spike touched her chin with his hand and lifted it so she'd look him in the eyes. "Hey, yer too good to let a few wimpy vampires get a kill out of you. You'll fight them off. There's nothin' ter worry about."
A/N: Thanks for reading, please review!